Huntsman supports gay marriage

Contributed

SALT LAKE CITY -- Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has come out in support of same-sex marriages.

Huntsman, a Republican, wrote an essay for The American Conservative magazine calling on conservatives to push their states to allow all citizens to marry.

Huntsman says his marriage has been his life's greatest joy and says there is "nothing conservative about denying other Americans the ability to forge that same relationship with the person they love."

The article, titled "Marriage Equality Is a Conservative Cause," was published online Thursday.

Huntsman previously came out in favor of civil unions while he was governor in 2009.

In 2004, Utah voters approved a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and domestic unions. At the time, Huntsman said he supported it.